Central Keystone Living Spring 2016

SPRING 2016

H O M E B U I L D E R S A S S O C I AT I O N O F M E T R O P O L I TA N H A R R I S B U R G

PENNSYLVANIA

HOME SHOW 42nd Annual

LEDs...

A Win-Win Kitchen Upgrade

Piecing together a Passive House

PHFA has home loans that fit your budget

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 Competitive interest rates  Down payment and closing cost assistance  Our Mortgage Credit Certificate can save you thousands  Free homebuyer education  Various home repair and home improvement loans available  Helping Pennsylvania homebuyers since 1982

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www.PHFA.org

1-855-U-Are-Home (827-3466)

Facebook.com/PHFA.org

Tom Wolf, Governor | Brian A. Hudson, Sr., Executive Director & CEO

Central Keystone Living Magazine is owned by the Home Builders Association of Metropolitan Harrisburg.

Contents

SPRING 2016

In Every Issue…

4 Our Mission: Supporting Building Industry Professionals & Serving as a Respected Community Resource.

PRESIDENT Gary Lenker, Donco Construction

VICE PRESIDENT Terry Loughran, Bridlewood Builders

TREASURER Bill Pierce, Fulton Mortgage Company

SECRETARY Mark Toto, Budget Blinds of Susquehanna Valley

IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT Vicki Shannon, CMP,CGB, Golf Enterprises, Inc.

ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT Wayne Keech, Affiliated Settlement Services Group

BUILDER DIRECTORS Meghann Connor, Connor Design-Build, LLC Russ Goodling, Russell C. Goodling Construction Bobbie Van Buskirk, A.P. Williams, Inc. Bryan Rodriguez, Ryan Homes Sherry Krodel, HOME-TIME Renovation, LLC Paul Hepler, Yingst Homes, Inc. Josh Juffe, TriCorner Communities

ASSOCIATE DIRECTORS Steven Cook, UGI Utilities Jim Rhoads, Swartz Kitchens & Baths James Pigott, Jr., Pigott Agency Justin McClure, Daflure Heating & Cooling

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT

Letter From the President

Green Living 6 Piecing together

Linda McMasters, Linda@HarrisburgBuilders.com

MEMBERSHIP SERVICES DIRECTOR Bob Price, Bob@HarrisburgBuilders.com

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT (PART TIME) Barb Rowe, HBA@HarrisburgBuilders.com

26 Induction Cooking 28 LEDs: A Win-Win

Kitchen Upgrade

a Passive House

Get the Facts 12 Geothermal: Is it Really

An Option For Me?

16 Preparing for a

Smooth(er) Move

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Career and Technical Education in a Growing Construction Industry

Home Improvement 24 Bathrooms: Prepare

for Aging in Place

David Sheppard, Jr., CAE, Dave@HarrisburgBuilders.com

ASSISTANT EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT

Tips & Trends

Ask The Expert 32 Ten Steps to Making

the Building Process Easier

32 How Pre-listing Home

Inspections Even the Score for Seller

34 Selecting a

Listing Agent

35 Spring Garden

Soup Recipe

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT (PART TIME) Jean Zimmerman, Jean@HarrisburgBuilders.com

FOR ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITIES:

SHERRY BOLINGER

Sherry@hoffpubs.com • 610.685.0914 x202

CONTACT US: Home Builders Association of Metropolitan Harrisburg • 2416 Park Dr, Harrisburg, PA 17110 717-232-5595 or 1-800-281-5539 • Fax: 717-232-5605 • www.harrisburgbuilders.com The written and visual contents of this magazine are protected by copyright. Reproduction of print or digital articles without written permission from Hoffmann Publishing Group, Inc., and/or the Home Builders Association of Metropolitan Harrisburg is forbidden. The placement of paid advertisements does not imply endorsement by the HBA of Metropolitan Harrisburg.

Publisher: Hoffmann Publishing Group, Inc.

2921 Windmill Rd, Suite 4, Sinking Spring, PA 19608 610.685.0914

Letter From the President

Dear Readers, Greetings and welcome to the 42nd Annual Pennsylvania Home Builders Show. For me and the over 400 members of the Home Builders Association of Metropolitan Harrisburg, it is a pleasure to have you as our guest this year. We hope you enjoy the 200 exhibitors showcasing the housing industry’s latest products and technology.

Each and every day, the leaders of the HBA are working diligently to fulfill our mission: “Supporting building industry professionals and serving as a respected community resource”. I want to focus what the HBA does to fulfill that part of the mission “serving as a respected community resource”.

Gary Lenker

Donco Construction

It starts right here with this Home Show. Here you will find everything that you might be looking for when you want to build a new home or fix up your existing home. Each year we offer the opportunity for each of our guests to provide us with feedback on what you like and don’t like about the Show.

And we respond. You have told us through the surveys that feature areas that offer a one stop shop concentration of certain vendors would be something you would like to see. So this year we created a brand new feature area called the Kitchen and Bath Showcase. Be sure and stop by.

And there are many other things we do to serve as “respected community resource”. In the fall our home builders and remodelers show the best in Central PA living through the Parade of Homes.

Our new website will have an interactive consumer oriented section that will allow you to get valuable information and connect with industry professionals that you can trust. And at the HBA’s booth here at the PA Home Show, you can pick up one of our directories that can help you locate the housing professional you need for that next project.

One of the things that I am most proud of is the commitment we have made to the community through our scholarship program. Since 1987, the HBA has offered $317,000 in scholarships to students from across the region. Dozens of our area’s finest students have been able to continue their education and go on to productive careers both in and out of the home building industry.

One final contribution we make as a “respected community resource” is our Helping Hands program. Recently the HBA provided windows for a deceased veteran’s widow to insure the safety of the home as well as make it more livable for this homeowner who gave so much for this country’s freedom.

We were proud to stand with her in her time of need.

So enjoy the PA Home Show, this issue of the HBA’s magazine, and stay tuned in June for our summer issue.

President, Home Builders Association of Metropolitan Harrisburg

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Central Keystone Living // SPRING 2016

HarrisburgBuilders.com

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Piecing together a Passive House (PH)

By Robin and Terry Loughran Owners of Bridlewood Builders

In the last two issues we shared with you a little bit about a type of High-Performance home known as ‘Passive House’.

These extremely comfortable and energy-efficient homes are designed and built based on a philosophy of:

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1. Design it to need the least amount of energy possible for heating, cooling and lighting

2. Make the thermal envelope virtually air-tight, with no thermal breaks, and

3. Insulate the heck out of it!!!

Central Keystone Living // SPRING 2016

Although our company, Bridlewood Builders, has been building high-performance homes for more than 30 years, we are very excited to finally be building a true Passive House in Hershey, PA! As far as we know, this is the first PH in Central PA. We broke ground several months ago. The home is now weather-tight, utilities are roughed in, all the insulation is complete and drywall is being finished - just in time for the cold weather.

As you would expect, the temperatures this time of year have been well below freezing at night, and not much better during the day. The bad news is that the electric utility company has not been out to hook up the power yet. But the good news is, WE DON’T NEED IT to heat the house!!!! It is absolutely amazing!!

But let me start at the beginning and share with you some of the ways that PH construction differs from traditional ‘stickbuilt’ homes.

Photo Left: Foam ‘swimming pool’ Photo Above: Pouring Concrete in the ‘pool’ Photo Opposite Page:Installing Structural Insulated Panels (SIPS) on framed walls.

High-performance Custom Homes - SIPS and Passive House

First, this particular PH is built on a slab – it has no basement.

That isn’t a PH requirement, but rather, the owners’ choice. In traditional construction, a concrete slab rests on a bed of gravel that sets on directly on top of the ground. For PH, the concrete slab is poured into an 8” thick foam ‘swimming pool’ lined with very thick plastic. The foam is a ‘thermal break’, that will not easily allow heat to pass through it. So heat that is absorbed by the slab in a PH is retained in the slab and not transferred into the ground underneath. Unlike a normal basement slab that is always cold on your feet, the PH slab will stay at, or near, room temperature.

Our distinguished custom homes are designed and built to be the ultimate in high-performance energy-efficiency.

The SMARTER way to build!

Bridlewood Builders

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Stronger Healthier Quieter More comfortable

Green, High-Performance, CUSTOM HOMES Certified SIPS Master Builder v Passive House Certified Builder

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Harrisburg, PA www.BridlewoodBuilders.com HarrisburgBuilders.com

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Green Living Next, the exterior walls are constructed a bit differently. The walls are framed with 2 x 6 lumber, similar to a traditional home, but then the outside is wrapped with a blanket of Structural Insulated Panels (SIPS). These panels are made from sheets of OSB plywood with foam in between. Once the electric wiring is installed in the framed part of the wall, the 2 x 6 framing is filled with dense pack cellulose insulation. Where the building code in this area requires an R-21 insulation value in the exterior walls, the two-part PH walls have a value of R-54!

NOTE- The higher the R-value, the better the insulation. For more information about R-values, see the 2015 Summer issue of Central Keystone Living on the Home Builders Association web site, or visit our site at www.BridlewoodBuilders.com.

Once the walls are completed, the roof trusses are installed. Unlike normal construction, the underside of the trusses are sheathed with plywood and all the joints are covered and sealed with special tape.

The ceiling is then insulated with 24” thick dense pack cellulose which is rated at an R-80!!!

One of the most important parts of building the PH structure is to make sure that every crack, crevice, and seam is sealed with foam, caulk, and/or tape to prevent air leakage. The houses are tested with a ‘blower door’ to measure air leakage and to find and seal any missed joints.

A secondary benefit of all that insulation and air sealing is that the homes are unbelievably quiet! Recently we had a table saw set up and running 3 feet outside the front door. But with the door closed, you couldn’t hear it at all in the house.

The windows in this Passive House are very different. They are triple pane instead of double pane and have heavy duty triple seals for no air leakage. The neatest part of these windows is that they work like backward casements that open into the room, making them very easy to clean. Then, with a twist of the handle, they become tilt windows that allow ventilation even on rainy days. They are also the most energy-efficient windows you can buy. Where typical windows are rated at an R-2.5 or R-3, these are rated at R-7.

While the need for heating and cooling is minimized in these homes, the need for ventilation in such a tight home becomes critical to maintaining healthy indoor air and consistent air temperature inside. To manage the needs for fresh air coming into the home, and exhausting stale air out of the home, a mechanical air exchanger, or Energy Recovery Ventilator (ERV), is installed. These units save energy by transferring heat from outgoing air to incoming air in the winter, and vice-versa in the summer. They operate at about 80% efficiency, so the energy savings from not having to re-heat or re-cool incoming air, more than pays for the cost of the ERV.

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Central Keystone Living // SPRING 2016

Photo at Left: Underside of ceiling trusses sheathed and taped.

Photo at Right: Tilt/Turn Windows

We have been building high-performance homes for many years.

It is one thing to understand the building science and best practices that make them work theoretically. It is another, and still absolutely fascinating, to actually walk into one and have all of your senses overwhelmed by the magic that is Passive House.

Recently the temperature dropped to the teens at night and stayed there. After a few days away from the PH site, we walked into the home one chilly 20 degree morning. The house had no heat at all, because we were waiting on the electric utility to hook us up. But to our amazement, the house was a warm 54 degrees – with no heat source at all!

Visit Your KOHLER® Premier Showroom R. F. Fager Company 2058 State Rd. Camp Hill, PA 717.761.0660 www.rffager.com

For comparison, we went into the apartment over the detached garage. It was built a little better than a typical ‘stick-built’ home, and has the same 8” foam under the slab, but it was not built to PH standards. It also had no heat, and, as expected, the temperature was the same as outside. What a contrast.

It was 9 am, so the sun had already been up for a little while, and I attributed some of the warmth in the PH to the sun coming in through the massive windows on the south side. But I wondered how much the temperature would drop during a cold night. When we came back the next morning at 6 am, it was still dark, and the outdoor temp was 16 degrees. But on opening the door, we found the house was still an incredible 52 degrees. No heat. Truly AMAZING!!!

Spun Glass® Vessel sink.

The beauty is in its handcrafted appearance and the stunning shape of its basin. The translucent glass offers a versatile look that becomes a focal point in any bath or powder room.

HarrisburgBuilders.com

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Green Living Once we have the electric connected and the owner moves in, the heat emitted from appliances, lights, and yes, even body heat from the occupants and their pets, will be enough to bring the temperature up to a comfortable level without turning on the heat.

Can you imagine living comfortably in a house in Central Pennsylvania without needing to turn on your heat in the middle of winter? The owner of the PH we are building in Hershey could.

But it is no longer just his imagination. It is now his reality.

When you put all the pieces of a Passive House together, you get one of the most comfortable and energy-efficient homes in the world.

They can be any size, shape or style, and fit in any setting or on any property. The cost is only slightly more than a comparable custom home, but the payback from energy savings can add up to more than $120,000 over 30 years! Wouldn’t you rather put that money into your bank account than give it to the utility companies?

For more information on Passive House and other High-Performance homes, visit our website at www.BridlewoodBuilders.com.

Photos Copyright: Bridlewood Builders

MEET THE EXPERT: Terry Loughran, NAHB Certified Green Professional, Vice President of the Home Builders Association Board of Directors and President of Bridlewood Builders, a SIPS Master Builder and Passive House Certified Builder by PHIUS. Have more questions? Send them to Terry@ BridlewoodBuilders.com or call 717-651-0058.

Energy Recovery Ventilator (ERV) manage the exchange of fresh air for stale air, transfers heat between the two, and ensures air circulation throughout the home.

A cold 24 degrees outside and 54 degrees inside with no heat at all.

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Central Keystone Living // SPRING 2016

See Your Home in the Best Possible Light Outdoor Landscape Lighting Installation, Service & Upgrades Perfect for walkways, driveways, entryways, walls, patios, plantings and pools.

Call Today: (717) 533-0606

EveningShadowsLighting.com

Get the Facts: Geothermal

Geothermal:

By Jamie Swartz Mid-Atlantic Geothermal

T

o put it simply, a Geothermal System is the most energy efficient home heating and cooling system. It uses the constant temperature below ground to heat and cool your home or office in the most efficient way possible. ClimateMaster Geothermal explains, “A high-efficiency gas furnace will give you less than .96 units of heat for each unit of gas burned. In contrast, with the advantages of a geothermal system, you get up to 5 units of heat for each unit of electricity used”. A higher efficiency means a lower cost of annual operation as well as a lesser impact on the environment. As a matter of fact, installing a geothermal system is equivalent to taking two cars off the road or planting one acre of trees.

Every homeowner in need of replacing an existing heating/cooling system, or planning to build should consider geothermal. The benefits are usually understood: it is more environmentally friendly than other types of systems; it will have a lower operating cost; no fossil fuels, open flames, or carbon monoxide to worry about; it can pre-heat and/or create your domestic hot water; and it has an average life expectancy longer than other systems. So why do some homeowners think it can’t be a viable option for them? Here we debunk some of the most common misconceptions that deter homeowners from considering geothermal:

The upfront cost will be too high.

The cost is probably lower than you think. Newer technology along with the help of utility provider rebates and a Federal 30% Tax Credit of the total installed cost has made geothermal systems more affordable and closer in line with that of a typical high efficiency HVAC system. The energy savings usually can pay back the upfront costs within 5-7 years.

I don’t have enough property.

You don’t need acres of land. Most installations occur in typical developments with average size lots. Vertical bores (wells) are more common because they take up less room and can be slightly more efficient than horizontal loops (trenches). Pond loops also work great in the central PA region. Your experienced contractor can help determine what type of installation is right for your home.

It can only be done for new construction.

Geothermal CAN be installed in most existing homes. Many times the geothermal unit will take the place of your current furnace or air handler and utilize existing duct system. Split Systems (attic systems), in floor radiant, and radiant/forced air combos allow geothermal applications for just about any situation. Your geothermal unit will provide both heating and cooling. There is no outdoor AC unit with geothermal - your ground loop does the work unseen and unheard.

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Central Keystone Living // SPRING 2016

Is it Really An Option For Me? I have a two story house.

Geothermal is not limited to one story homes, but can be retrofitted to almost any type of home. Geothermal can utilize existing duct systems or new duct systems can be installed. Your contractor will look at your home to design a system that will provide you the most comfort.

My house will stay ground temperature.

Geothermal heating distributes air that is warmer than that of a typical heat pump. It uses the warmer ground temperature in the winter (52-60 degrees) to bring up the heat in your home to meet your thermostat setting as opposed to the frigid 20 degree air outside.

I have forced air not hot water heat.

Geothermal systems use forced air, hot water radiant, or both. Most geothermal units have a variable speed fan and will slowly ramp up to deliver the appropriate amount of air to meet the thermostat’s requirement. Keeping the unit fan running will also help eliminate hot/cold spots in most homes for more comfortable living.

I don’t have enough ground water.

You don’t have to hit water. Closed loop systems are effective circulating a fluid that is contained in the ground loop pipe system. The circulator in the geothermal requires less electricity then a well pump to recirculate the fluid which is the means by which heat gets dumped into cooler temperatures below (summer) or heat gets picked up and transferred into the heating system (winter). Open loop systems require well water and are a great option where there is too much ground water to bore a closed loop system.

Continued on page 15.

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Investments • Insurance • Retirement Contact Me Today for a Complimentary Review

Steve Blouse, A.A.M.S.® Financial Advisor

Raymond James Financial Services 1605 E. Market St. York, PA 17403 717-848-1248 Steven.Blouse@ RaymondJames.com

LIFE WELL PLANNED Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. Member FINRA/SIPC

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Central Keystone Living // SPRING 2016

Get the Facts: Geothermal We’ve covered briefly what geothermal is, some benefits, and common misconceptions. Just like any home improvement, there will be key factors involved in your decision making. The main deciding factors homeowners typically use when investing in a geothermal system are: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

I plan to stay in my home for 5 or more years.

I want long term savings & the system to “pay for itself”.

I don’t want the maintenance associated with burning fuel & outdoor condenser units.

A 30% Federal Tax Credit.

It feels good knowing I am doing the best thing I can for the environment.

Home comfort.

Geothermal is not reserved for specific types of homes or a certain square footage. It is not limited to those with acreage or with a lot of ground water. There are different applications, types of systems, and efficiencies of geothermal systems. If you find yourself needing to replace your current system or plan to build, check the common deciding factors above.

If those factors above apply to you, then yes - geothermal is an excellent option for you!

Be sure to get your estimate from an experienced IGSHPA Certified geothermal installer who is a GeoElite dealer backed by the equipment manufacturer. A reputable contractor can specifically examine your home and property and provide an estimate on the cost of operation so you can make an informed decision and see if geothermal is the right choice for you. In terms of a yearly energy bill, see the table below to see how the advantages of geothermal heating compares to heating with fossil fuels.

Annual Cost Of Operation Comparison

Jamie Swartz Mid-Atlantic Geothermal 717-558-0051 www.midatlanticgeothermal.com

3 Ton Heating/Cooling System

Annual Cost Of Operation Comparison

Utility Costs Used: Electric: $ .10/kWh Nat. Gas: $1.15/ Ccf Propane: $1.90/Gallon Fuel Oil: $2.07/Gallon

Gas 92% 2 stage & 13 SEER AC Propane Furnace & 13 SEER AC Oil Furnace 80% & 13 SEER AC Climate Master Tranquility 30 Geo Climate Master Trilogy Geo

$0.00 Heating

Cooling

Hot Water

$500.00

$1,000.00

$1,500.00

$2,000.00

$2,500.00

Total Estimated Cost HarrisburgBuilders.com

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Get the Facts

Preparing for a Smooth(er) Move

By Karen M. Trynoski, ReatorÂŽ ABR, CNE, CSP

With a few simple steps, the process of moving can be made much smoother.

I

have yet to meet anyone who has said that they love moving. In fact, I have heard many people say that once they move, they never want to move again. The panic! The fear! The uncertainty!

The mere responsibility of moving can suck the fun out of enjoying your new home‌ even before you move in. With a few simple steps, the process of moving can be made much smoother.

ONE MONTH BEFORE MOVING:

Start packing items not regularly uses-off season clothes, decorations, etc.

Make travel arrangements for pets.

TWO MONTHS BEFORE MOVING: Decide whether you want to hire a professional mover or do it yourself. Make reservations for a professional if you choose.

Gather packing supplies- boxes, tape, sharpies and scissors If moving a long distance, make travel arrangements with airlines, hotel and rental car.

TWO WEEKS BEFORE MOVING

Contact utility companies and notify them of your move.

If moving yourself, start calling friends and family for extra assistance.

Confirm travel arrangements/reservations.

Place legal, medical, financial and insurance records in a safe and accessible place.

Arrange to close or transfer your bank account(s).

Purchase insurance for valuables to be moved.

Pick up items for safety deposit box.

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Back up important computer files.

Central Keystone Living // SPRING 2016

ONE WEEK BEFORE MOVING:

Pack extra clothes, medicines, special foods, etc., to carry with you through the day after your arrival in your new home.

Inform post office of your upcoming move.

Notify friends, family, doctors, attorneys, co-workers, schools and financial institutes of your new address.

THE DAY BEFORE

Carry with you: Keys to your new home Telephone number of moving company Cash or travelers’ checks Insurance policies Medicines Extra clothing if movers are late Important personal records Valuable or irreplaceable items Sheets and towels for the first night in your new home

Lay down old sheets in the entry and hallways to protect flooring If moving yourself, pick up truck and hand dolly.

If traveling, make sure you have tickets, charge card and other essentials.

MOVING DAY

ARRIVAL DAY

Show movers where to place furniture and boxes.

Check inventory to ensure everything was delivered before signing delivery papers.

Note any damages on the inventory list.

Unpack any valuables upon arrival.

Finally, the best part! After your move, sit back, relax and enjoy your new home!

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Get the Facts

Career and Technical Education

in a Growing Construction Industry

By Justin Bruhn Administrative Director, Cumberland Perry Area Vocational-Technical School

T

he building and construction trade is one of the industries that has seen an increasing need for new workers in recent years. Carpenters, Stonemasons, and Construction Laborers are just three of the construction trade-related occupations that are listed as High Priority Occupations by the Center for Workforce Information and Analysis. In short, this means that these jobs, among others in the field, are facing some need for new skilled workers, whether that is from an aging workforce or from an economic increase in demand. Without anyone to take on the next generation of construction work, these jobs will be in great danger.

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Your Dream. Our Passion.

Central Keystone Living // SPRING 2016

Career and Technical Education is one of the many ways this and many other industries are working to increase the volume of new employees entering the workforce; through this type of instruction, students walk out of high school prepared to enter the field directly or to continue their education in the trade of theirchoice—oftenalreadypossessingmanyofthecollegecredits needed. However, most students seeking to enter the building and construction industry would likely need little more than a highschooldiplomaandsomeamountofworkexperience(usually at least one year) or an apprenticeship, and as such, many of thesejobs,whiledemanding,provideexcellentpayandbenefits for a student fresh out of high school that they would not obtain anywhere else. As most, if not all, jobs in this career sector require aconsiderableamountofhardlabor,studentswillingtolearnthe skills of these trades are highly sought after as older members of the workforce begin to retire. It seems, to some degree, that the old trope of a child taking on their parents’company has begun surfacing again, this time regarding construction trades.

Cumberland Perry AVTS, along with its 13 sending school districts, seeks to draw students into Career and Technical Education in support of the growing trade industries in Central PA. Its Carpentry, Masonry,Horticulture and Landscaping,Electrical Construction and Maintenance, HVAC, and Graphic Communicationsprogramsoftencollaborateonvariousprojects,suchas

they do for the PA Home Show each year. Since around 2008, the programshavedesignedandconstructedalogcabin-stylehome; with the shorter available time to build, this project has turned into a much smaller cabin accompanied by smaller structures.

This year, the large structure is a period style barn complete with loft and workshop; alongside it will be a sizable outdoor pavilion thatisplannedtohaveanoutdoorkitchen,television,andceiling fan. The project designs are still in their early stages, and more items will likely be added as time goes on.

Last year, the students constructed a small log cabin complete with loft, full kitchen (with granite countertops), one full bathroom, a wood-burning stove, and more; along with the cabin was an outdoor pavilion with a waterfall feature and two barns.

All construction is done on-site over the course of approximately three days, with the proceeds from all sales going to support CPAVTS’s chapter of the National Association of Home Builders. The 2015 cabin is still for sale at $49,900.

In previous years, these cabins have been much larger; but regardless of the restrictions time places on these annual projects, the structures always turn out looking as if they might have been created on an HGTV special. If nothing else, the PA Home Show projectsprovethevalueofproducingskilledhomebuildersoutof the coming generations.

The carpenters, plumbing and heating specialists, electricians, bricklayers,andlandscapersprovidethecoreserviceofconstructing the houses we live in, but they could also branch out into the architectural design aspects of the field. The experiences they receive in Career andTechnical Education help shape their ideas of what they want to do beyond high school while providing them with the tools they need to enter the workforce, continue their education, or even just the interpersonal skills needed to excel in any other path they might choose.

It was not too long ago that we began teaching our students how toexcelinthepostsecondaryeducationalenvironment;however, as the skilled laborers age and retire, fresh recruits are needed to take their place. With the right combination of hands-on experience, collaboration with other students, and old fashioned booklearning,ourstudentscangrowtobeproductivemembers of an ever-changing workforce that is in desperate need of their youthful energy.

Justin Bruhn Administrative Director, Cumberland Perry Area Vocational-Technical School 717-697-0354, ext 105 www.cpavts.org

HarrisburgBuilders.com

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e m o c l e W March 10 - 13, 2016

at the State Farm Show Complex, Exhibition Hall Thursday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. & Sunday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

New This Year - The Kitchen & Bath Showcase See all that's new from the region's best kitchen and bath professionals!

Admission: Adults $8 • Kids (12 & Under) FREE • On-site Parking FREE Seniors (55+) save $3 on Senior Day, March 10

www.pahomeshow.com

Also, Don't Miss the Shows within the Show

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Central Keystone Living // SPRING 2016

Home Show Seminar Schedule

Thursday, March 10 – Senior Day 1:00 “Be Red Cross Ready: Get a Kit, Make a Plan, Be Informed” Ashley Gray and Ian Wallace

A community disaster preparedness presentation for seniors that focuses on helping create preparedness kits and know what to do in a disaster.

12:00, 2:00pm, 4:00pm, 6:00pm Studio 4 Showroom Stage: Featuring Thermador Appliances and PA Preferred Foods Theme: Remodeling Your Meals: New Takes on Your Old Favorites

12:30 – 2:00 Antique Appraisal Clinic

by David Cordier, Antiques Appraisal Staff

Bring 1 to 2 small items – Large items (furniture, etc) bring pictures. Register in the Event Area at Noon

2:00 “Be Red Cross Ready: Get a Kit, Make a Plan, Be Informed” Ashley Gray and Ian Wallace ~ See 11:00 show for details

5:30 Bathroom and Kitchen Planning Ethan Musselman, Delta Faucets & Brizo, and Danielle Gundrum of APR Supply

Focus will be on Technology, Functionality and Experience in the space. Further drilling into theproducts/ styles that are popular now and where we see the industry in 3-5 years.

Friday, March 11

12:00, 2:00pm, 4:00pm, 6:00pm Studio 4 Showroom Stage: Featuring Thermador Appliances and PA Preferred Foods Theme: Backyard to Table: Cooking with Regional and Home Grown Foods

12:30 – 2:00 Antique Appraisal Clinic

by David Cordier Antiques Appraisal Staff Bring 1 to 2 small items – Large items (furniture, etc) bring pictures. Register in the Event Area at Noon

3:00 – 3:30 Ray Owen Grammy nominated Singer/Songwriter

4:00 – 4:30 Ray Owen

Bring Your Outdoor Dreams to Life Get ready for Spring by planning your backyard dream today with Hardscapes, Fireplaces, Outdoor Kitchens and other accessories.

Stop by our showroom at 1001 Paxton Street, Harrisburg or visit our booths #713 and #734 at the 2016 Pennsylvania Home Builders Show held at the Harrisburg Farm Show Complex, March 10-13.

Let our experienced staff help you turn that dream into reality.

Grammy nominated Singer/Songwriter

4:00 – 8:00 Night to Wine Wine Tasting in Event Area

6:30 – 7:00 Ray Owen

Grammy nominated Singer/Songwriter Continued on page 23 HarrisburgBuilders.com

21

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Central Keystone Living // SPRING 2016

Seminar Schedule

Are You

Saturday, March 12 “KIDS DAY”

Lights Go Out

(continued)

PROTECTED When the

AUTOMATIC HOME STANDBY GENERATORS

11:00 to 3:00 Kids Day Activities Sponsored by The Home Depo, Harrisburg Senators, Caitlin Smiles, American Red Cross

12:00, 2:00pm, 4:00pm, 6:00pm Studio 4 Showroom Stage Featuring Thermador Appliances and PA Preferred Foods Theme: Kids in the Kitchen

2:00 – 2:20 Ray Owen Grammy nominated Singer/Songwriter

3:00 – 3:20 Ray Owen

Grammy nominated Singer/Songwriter

5:00 – 5:20 Ray Owen

Grammy nominated Singer/Songwriter

Have you met animals in your yard as you gardened or mulched or mowed? This program is for you. Shaver's Creek Staff will discuss what animals you may see and what to do when you find them. There will be live animals as part of the program and ample opportunity to ask questions.

12:00, 2:00pm Studio 4 Showroom Stage Featuring Thermador Appliances and PA Preferred Foods Theme: Builder vs Remodeler Cooking Showdown (Celebrity Chefs TBD)

1:00 – 2:00 LEGO CONTEST Sponsored by Renewal by Anderson NOON – Registration. Space limited. Must pre-register at the PA Home Show

2:00 Shaver’s Creek ~ See 11:00 show for details

Deer-Creek-Electric K

SUNDAY S EW N

11:00 Shaver’s Creek

www.

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Best of YORK

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Sunday, March 13

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4:00 – 4:20 Ray Owen

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COU

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.com

717-246-2778

Call For Editorial Submissions Central Keystone Living is a homeowner magazine designed to provide useful ideas, tips and information regarding every area of home ownership, from home design, construction and renovations, to interior design, outdoor living spaces and maintenance. Articles cover new trends and timeless winners in building and remodeling; home décor and fashion accessories; outdoor living and landscaping; and much more.

If you would like to submit ideas for future editorial stories, we invite you to forward your ideas to:

DAVE SHEPPARD, JR. Dave@HarrisburgBuilders.com Preference for submissions is given to HBA members and timely topics.

HarrisburgBuilders.com

23

Get the Facts Home Improvement

BATHROOMS Prepare for Aging in Place

By Sherry Krodel HOME-TIME Renovation

What is “Aging in Place”?

W

e hear it often but can be unclear or misleading. Aging in Place allows a person, of any age, to maintain or improve the quality of life where they live now for as long as possible. Many more people could be living at home, if it was safer and easier for them to maneuver. It’s not just for ‘Old’ people, it’s for responsible people who want to ensure their quality of life, to live in dignity and remain more independent, regardless of age.

Make your home not only comfortable but safe. As you age your physical limitations will change and you need to address them before an injury occurs. Diabetes can affect your sense of touch; dizziness and inner ear disorders can alter your sense of balance; arthritis reduces your range of motion; deteriorating vision will require more light to see.

24

Central Keystone Living // SPRING 2016

Bathroom Safety Installing grab

Toilets Replacing the toilet with one

It does not need to look like a nursing home. A well thought out plan and good design will create a beautiful and safe environment.

Bathtubs and Showers Most

bars near the toilet, at the entrance to the shower, inside the shower and applying an anti-slip coating to the tub/shower floor are three inexpensive ways to keep you safe.

All of the details below should be discussed with your contractor who is familiar with the requirements and they will make your home safe for you and your family.

If you are able to remodel a bathroom or add a new one, here is a list of what you should be taking into consideration: • Atleastonewheelchairmaneuverable bath on main level • Doorway should be a minimum of 32 inches wide • Bracing and grab bars around tub, shower and toilet to support 250-300 pounds • Replace bathtub with a shower stall or a curb-less shower, minimum 36” wide • Fold down seat or permanent seat in the shower • Adjustable handheld showerheads, 6-foot hose, reachable from the shower seat • Tub/shower controls offset from center and low enough to reach from a seat • Light in shower stall • Additional lighting throughout room • Taller toilet (17-19 inches) or height-adjustable • Design of the toilet paper holder allows rolls to be changed with one hand • Wall-hung sink with knee space and panel to protect user from pipes • Slip-resistant flooring in bathroom and shower • Lowering light switches if wheelchair bound

Stairs Stairs may become dangerous or impossible. One full

bathroom should be located on the main floor of your home. If there isn’t one, you may need to consider adding a bathroom, or adding a shower to an existing powder room.

Space Space will be a greater issue as you age or become disabled.

Widening doorways to plan for the use of canes, wheelchairs, walkers or similar assistive devices is essential. If the door cannot be widened you can replace the hinges with “swing-away offset” door hinges, which add 2” to the opening.

that is “comfort” or ADA height is best but if budget doesn’t allow, you can also purchase a seat extender from a local home health care store.

homes have bathtubs that are not easily accessible and are difficult to step over causing a possibility for injury. Replacing the bathtub with a shower stall can make life much safer and easier. The most accessible option is a roll-in shower, which does not have a curb and the floor is the same level as the bathroom floor. The shower entrance (or opening) should be a minimum of 36” wide. This allows access for a wheelchair.

Sherry Krodel 717-574-3042 www.HomeTimeRenovation.com

us Come see at the PA Home Show

KITCHENS • BATHROOMS • BASEMENTS

Your Dream. Our Plan.

Whether it’s your first time, or if you’ve done this before, we are here to help. Call HOME-TIME Renovation, LLC now and take your first step to creating your dream home!

HOME-TIME Renovation, LLC 717.574.3042

5821 Linglestown Rd, Ste 202 Harrisburg 17112 www.HomeTimeRenovation.com | Facebook.com/HomeTimeRenovationLLC

HarrisburgBuilders.com

25

Tips & Trends

n o i t c u Ind

By Ed Continenza LH Brubaker

Cooking

T

his new way of cooking is hot. But it is not new and it is not so hot. Induction has been around for many years and is somewhat magical in that the heat is generated in the pot.

Gas or electric? That was the question we ask as customers who were consulted here in our showroom at LH Brubaker Appliances, Inc. We enjoy taking it a step further. Now we offer a revolutionary way to cook unlike traditional methods. Induction has been around but not so popular. Today the price, reliability, and product availability has changed all of that. All the name brands offer free standing ranges, slide in ranges, and cooktops.

Magic

Induction uses coiled metal under the normal glass cooktop to generate electromagnetic energy which excites the iron atoms incorporated in the pan. The pan gets hot but the glass does not.

(Except for residual heat.) This method is direct heating unlike regular electric and gas which is indirect heating. The ceramic glass on every smooth top induction or radiant that I know about and sell is made by the Schott Glass Company in Germany. So they look very much the same. However, it is most common to have a touch control pad for burner controls with induction. I have cooked on gas for most of my life, and I enjoy the instant up and down along with the commercial look.

Currently on my gas range while making pasta or mashed potatoes the very first thing I do is start boiling water. It seems to take forever, especially if you are watching it! Once I drop the pasta in, the water stops boiling and takes some time to recover. Or, I drop potatoes in boiling water, not so much fun. Then the cleaning of the grates and the spilled pancake batter from my daughters who had a sleepover pancake party is grueling. Scrubbing the grates and cleaning around the burners on the already scratched up stainless top.

Speed I know of nothing faster. Induction boils water in around 2 minutes. So I can take my pot of cold water full of potatoes directly from the sink to the stove and there is hardly any waiting. The pasta water never stops boiling, and if the water is about to boil over I can turn down the burner and it will immediately stop. I can wipe all around the burner without concern all while I am cooking.

Instant up and instant down. Lower than gas or radiant. I have simmered hollandaise sauce without a double boiler. Hotter than gas, I can sear meats like a professional. The control is so precise.

Safety So many of my clients want electric for the safety of their kids and the elderly. Some are just afraid of gas. Nothing compares to the safety of induction. If all of the burners are turned on without any pots or pans, it would do nothing and shut itself off. Most induction cooktops will not activate unless 他 of the burner is covered. When cooking and you remove the pot, it will recognize that and shut itself off.

26

Central Keystone Living // SPRING 2016

Efficiency Induction is capable of focusing its energy to the pan up to 90% versus gas which is around 30%. Compared to regular radiant burners it is around 20% more efficient. When cooking with gas at home I feel the heat while standing in front of my stove. Cooking with induction in my showroom I don’t.

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Since the glass only gets residual heat from the pan, it hardly gets hot. Nothing burns on the glass. It wipes right off. Compared to radiant burners that leave a mark on the glass even while boiling water, nothing is left behind and does not require scrubbing. Compared to my gas range, there are no grates or stainless to maintain or scratch.

I can keep the induction looking brand new for all time.

Pots and pans must accept a magnet to work with induction. If a magnet sticks to your existing cookware it will work. Today the cookware manufacturers have followed the demand for induction cookware and I have seen a full set as low as $129. The industry has new induction symbols to indicate its compatibility making it easier to shop. Having a large diameter burner is also very important. If a pan is larger than the burner the grilled cheese will only cook in the shape of the burner. For example; if a 14” skillet is used over an 8” burner the edges of the pan will not get hot. Thermador and Gaggenau have introduced a cooktop where the entire surface is a burner that will cook with the shape and size of just about any cookware. It will follow your pan around if moved. Induction ranges start around $1499 and are produced by almost all of the major manufacturers. Cooktops start in that same price range. See an expert at your independent appliance dealer who has these products to give you a demonstration today.

717.545.4235

www.DavisLandscapeLTD.com

2340 Paxton Church Rd., Harrisburg, PA 17110

HIC# PA 025893

74

Ed Continenza 717-796-0150 | econtinenza@lhbrubakers.com

HarrisburgBuilders.com

27

Tips & Trends

LEDs:

A Win-Win Kitchen Upgrade Solution

By Laura Lee Lukunich Radle Electric

Add spice to your kitchen with dimmable LED under cabinet lighting.

Using LED technology is environmentally savvy and pocketbook friendly because when compared to typical compact florescent lamps (CFLs) or incandescent bulbs, the LED solution provides many win-win results.

28

Central Keystone Living // SPRING 2016

Longer life.

Did you know that if you installed LED lighting in a nursery, you may not have to change that bulb until your child goes off to college? The average life span of an LED light is 50,000 hours, compared to CFL lighting at 8,000 hours and incandescent bulbs at 1,200 hours. We can push this point further by including the savings in time (everyone’s most valuable commodity) and fuel savings as a result of less running around looking for replacement bulbs. Do you have cathedral ceilings or over cabinet shelves? If so, you will realize even more time savings by leaving the ladder in the garage.

Less power consumption. With lighting, heat is a

direct loss of electric efficiency. Because traditional incandescent bulbs are inefficient where up to 90% of the energy generated is heat versus light while LEDs do not produce as much heat, you can lower your electric bills by switching to LEDs. While how much you save depends upon the quantity of lighting used in your home, studies regularly note as much as a 75% reduction in lighting costs when switching from incandescent to LED lighting solutions. Most people who have tried to make the transition to LEDs only one bulb at a time when one bulb burns out and where there are multiple bulbs within a single fixture are not happy with the result because the lighting effect is stark. Instead, if you are concerned about the initial cost of replacing all your home’s lighting with LEDs, consider making the change one full room at a time.

Less heat. Have you ever tried to remove an incandescent

bulb before waiting for it to cool down? Ouch! Using LEDs as under cabinet lighting will not only prevent you from burning your fingers but will not harm food stored on counter tops or melt, discolor, and otherwise damage cabinet top displays. Additionally, appliance operation is not hindered by the heat typical with some non-LED lighting options.

More Durability.

LED bulbs do not break like a typical glass bulb so are an excellent choice for high traffic areas like a kitchen, as well as for windy outdoor weather conditions.

Additionally, LEDs are not sensitive to humidity or to low or high temperatures again making them an excellent kitchen and outdoor choice including for landscapes, flag poles, driveways, and security lighting.

Safety. LED lighting is free of mercury and other toxic chem-

icals that are harmful to the environment and to life. Additionally, LEDs produce almost no UV emissions so are an excellent solution for UV sensitive objects such as art. And this safety product eliminates the need for special disposal requirements. Because all LEDs are not the same, when making a purchase, look for an Energy Star qualified statement on the package to assure you are getting the highest quality and performance lighting product Poorly designed LED products can produce flickering and uneven light or could continue to use power when the light is turned off.

Another advantage of higher quality lighting is improved safety for working areas that includes everything from your kitchen to garage.

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HarrisburgBuilders.com

29

Tips & Trends Modern look. Options for today’s LEDs would seem limitless and are improving every year. Popular slim and clean line models are abundant with LED solutions. Other modern advantages include dimming options which make duel use to include night lighting an appealing option.

Ambiance. If you want to draw attention to a custom back

splash or a new countertop, this is accomplished with under cabinet lighting. Using LEDs in your under cabinet lighting eliminates glare, and LEDs are easier on yours eyes than traditional lighting.

Everything from reading recipes to meal presentation is enhanced.

When making an LED purchase, consider the color index rating.

Because LEDs have different color indexes, you do not want different hues mixed within the same setting. Also examine packaging for wattage equivalencies. For example, if you are replacing a 60 watt incandescent bulb and want the same look, choose a 10 watt LED. Most manufacturers include equivalent comparison data on their packaging. At right is a sample comparison chart.

Incandescent Bulb

LED

40W 5W 60W 10W 75W 15W 100W 19W

When LEDs were first introduced in the early 60s, their limited features were confined to commercial use. However, now the wide array of LEDs options makes them suitable throughout your home.

MEET THE EXPERT: Joe Radle and Laura Lee Lukunich, husband and wife owners of Radle Electric, “Your Pet-Friendly Contractor”. Some people ask, “What does ‘pet-friendly’ mean?” Joe and Laura respond, “We had contractors in our home who asked that we lock up our dogs. We decided to never do that to our customers recognizing that your pets live with you while we are simply your guests there to do a job.” Radle Electric in an award winning residential-only electrical company based in Camp Hill since 2005. You are invited to learn more at www.RadleElectric.com or www.Facebook.com/RadleElectric.com.

Eric Mintel Quartet

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JazzReach’s Metta Quintet

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April 1-10, 2016 Reading, PA

Robben Ford

Brubeck Brothers

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Spend 10 jazz- and blues-filled days and nights in the Greater Reading area!

Over 120 scheduled events, plus great shopping and dining in one area, make the 25th annual Boscov’s Berks Jazz Fest your perfect spring getaway.

For tickets, call Ticketmaster toll free at 1-800-745-3000 or visit www.ticketmaster.com to order online.

CHICK COREA & BÉLA FLECK • THE SUMMIT: THE MANHATTAN TRANSFER & TAKE 6 • KEB’ MO’ WITH SPECIAL GUEST GERALD ALBRIGHT • MAVIS STAPLES BONEY JAMES • RICHARD ELLIOT WITH SPECIAL GUEST BOBBY CALDWELL • PHIL PERRY & HOWARD HEWETT • NAJEE FEATURING CHANTE MOORE, NICK COLIONNE THE RIPPINGTONS FEATURING RUSS FREEMAN • JOEY ALEXANDER TRIO • GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JAZZ CELEBRATION: KIRK WHALUM, DONNIE MCCLURKIN, JONATHAN BUTLER, KEVIN WHALUM, JOHN STODDART, DOXA GOSPEL ENSEMBLE • JACKIEM JOYNER & SELINA ALBRIGHT • KEIKO MATSUI • BWB: RICK BRAUN, KIRK WHALUM, NORMAN BROWN • MICHAEL LINGTON FEATURING TAYLOR DAYNE • JAZZ FUNK SOUL: CHUCK LOEB, EVERETTE HARP, JEFF LORBER • ROBBEN FORD • JAZZ MEETS JAMES: NICK COLIONNE, KIM WATERS, ERIC DARIUS, MARION MEADOWS, JEFF BRADSHAW, JEANETTE HARRIS, JAY ROWE • BRIAN BROMBERG BAND WITH THE BERKS HORNS FOUR80EAST FEATURING MATT MARSHAK, ART SHERROD • POPA CHUBBY • PIECES OF A DREAM • GREG ADAMS & EAST BAY SOUL • DAVID BROMBERG BIG BAND BLIND BOY PAXTON • KIM SIMMONDS & SAVOY BROWN • ERIC MARIENTHAL • ANDY SNITZER • GERALD VEASLEY & FRIENDS FEATURING BOBBY LYLE, NELSON RANGELL, CHIELI MINUCCI • THE MUSIC OF DAVE BRUBECK: BRUBECK BROTHERS QUARTET AND THE READING POPS ORCHESTRA • CRAIG THATCHER BAND & FRIENDS • THE ROYAL SCAM SHERRIE MARICLE & FIVE PLAY • LIVE AT THE FILLMORE: TRIBUTE TO THE ORIGINAL ALLMAN BROTHERS • ZOE’ • DAVID P STEVENS & DEE LUCAS • ERICH CAWALLA QUARTET FEATURING BENNIE SIMS, CLIFF STARKEY, MARKO MARCINKO • DEVON ALLMAN BAND • PHILADELPHIA FUNK AUTHORITY • THE ORIGINAL GROOVEMASTERS & FRIENDS • UPTOWN BAND FEATURING ERICH CAWALLA & JENIFER KINDER • BLITZ DYNETTE • GREG HATZA & TIM PRICE ORGAN QUARTET • DJANGOHOLICS ANONYMOUS AMY HELM & THE HANDSOME STRANGERS • KUTZTOWN UNIVERSITY JAZZ ENSEMBLE I • U.S. NAVY BAND COMMODORES • U.S. AIR FORCE RHYTHM IN BLUE JAZZ ENSEMBLE BERKS HIGH SCHOOL ALL-STAR JAZZ BAND AND CHORUS • STOLEN MOMENTS: THE FIRST 100 YEARS OF JAZZ FEATURING JAZZREACH’S METTA QUINTET AND MORE!*

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Tips & Trends

How Pre-listing

Home Inspections

Even the Score for Sellers

By Don Haschert Pillar To Post Home Inspectors

W

is, flaws which are not made apparent to a buyer before their own inspection is performed are seen as far more egregious than those disclosed beforehand, even if you bring an issue to their attention and make known that you won’t fix it.

That lesson is just as germane for those looking to sell a home.

Unfortunately, many fail to translate that knowledge to the process of putting a house on the market, with sellers often deferring the home inspection process to the buyers. In doing so, sellers are making the same mistake we make as kids, hoping that any surprises won’t make themselves known to buyers, with the consequences of their inevitable discovery far more serious than earning a grounding.

You become the most knowledgeable person about your listing. It may seem self-evident, but a pre-listing home inspection report will make you the most educated person on a listing. Yet sellers often fail to see the value of being completely aware of a home’s condition before trying to sell it. While a seller might be legitimately ignorant of a home’s flaws, that ignorance is no excuse to initiate the selling process blind to a home’s condition. By having a pre-listing inspection performed, you can be the authority on your property, conveying both credibility and expertness to a buyer.

hen we were kids, we stuffed our closets full of our toys in lieu of putting them neatly away, hoping that our parents would never find the mess we made.

We thought we could fool them. But our parents would soon enough find our mess, negating any time saved—and then some.

For the small price of a pre-listing inspection you stand to save big when it comes time for a buyer to put pen to paper and complete the transaction. Below are just a few of the many benefits of having a pre-listing home inspection done.

You stand to earn a return far closer to your initial asking price.

When a buyer invariably performs his or her own inspection, should he or she find undisclosed flaws, you stand to lose more money off your initial asking price than you might assume. In fact, for every flaw a buyer finds in a home that would cost $1,000 to fix, you stand to lose $3,000-$5,000 off of your asking price. In truth, the average buyer doesn’t really know what it would cost to fix a given issue found. Yet the fact of the matter 32

Central Keystone Living // SPRING 2016

You gain considerable leverage in the negotiating process. Beyond connoting competence and professionalism, by having a pre-listing home inspection performed before placing your property on the market, you also stand to gain considerable leverage once the negotiating process begins. With Pillar To Post Home Inspectors, for example, you are given a full report on the condition of the property, leaving you to determine which changes are worth fixing on your own, and which are better left to the future owners. Many changes that need to be made are inexpensive, affording a seller the opportunity to nip them in the bud before they can become known to others. But if you find some issues which would cost more to fix than you care to spend, you can get your own direct quote from a respected home repair professional about how much it would take

to fix them which you can in turn pass on to a would-be buyer, saving them time by giving them an accurate upfront assessment of their potential costs.

MEET THE EXPERT: Don Haschert is the owner of Pillar To Post Home Inspection serving Dauphin, Cumberland, and Perry counties in central Pennsylvania. He can be reached at (717) 926-1811 or don.haschert@pillartopost.com About Pillar To Post Home Inspectors Founded in 1994, Pillar To Post Home Inspectors is now the largest home-inspection company in North America with nearly 500 franchisees, located in 48 states and eight Canadian provinces. For more information, please visit www.pillartopostfranchise.com.

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Moreover, if sellers leave a hard copy of a completed summary including pictures sitting on the table at an open house, the gesture goes a long way in conveying transparency and integrity to the process, building trust and ensuring a smooth, open transaction. Save for meeting disclosure requirements, a seller is not obligated to share the pre-listing report to potential buyers. Knowledge is power. If you know what you have, it will be easier to sell it.

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33

Tips & Trends

Selecting a Listing Agent

By Pat Caruso, ABR, CRS, MCSP, GRI

S

o, you’re ready for a move! You’ve been watching HGTV, you’ve cleared the clutter, shined up the hardwoods, painted the front door, and mulched the garden areas, but how do you choose the right agent to list your home?

homework well, they will come up with the very same comparable neighborhood sales that will compute the likely selling price of your home. The list price, then, will be decided from the analysis between you and your agent.

You’re not alone in that quandary, but here are some good tips:

In short, here are the top 6 most important factors when choosing an agent as compiled by the National Association of Realtors:

• Ask for recommendations. Friends, neighbors, colleagues, or relatives may have recent experience with an agent who did a great job for them • Choose from a local and respected real estate office. Don’t expect Cousin Sally who lives 100 miles away to know the current market or have access to the local multi-list system Once you’ve found some names, check out their websites or give them a quick interview call. If you head for websites, target their “Agent Profile” or “About Me” page. You are not here to judge their elaborate website that someone else set up for them. Look for insight to the agent’s personality and professionalism. Look for energy and enthusiasm, designations earned, affiliations, even hobbies and interests. Is this someone you can connect with?

You’ll do the same analysis over the phone. (By the way, if you have to leave a voicemail and are not called back within the next 24 hours, move on!)

You’ll want to learn: • How long they’ve been in the business • Whether or not their market area includes your neighborhood • Clues to their competence, professionalism and confidence Your next step might be to call and invite them to visit at your home. Now you can ask questions about how they will market your home. Let them show you marketing materials they’ve used for other listings. Find out where they will advertise your home, and what else they will do besides put a sign up for you. How will they keep in touch with you, and how often?

Did you notice I did not mention commission fees or pricing your home? Many people make the mistake of hiring an agent because he/she is willing to price the home higher than another, or because their commission fee might be .5% lower than another. These numbers are negotiable! You may wisely be willing to pay a higher commission to an agent that will work in earnest and negotiate well with the Buyer Agent, giving you the attention and service that gets the job done, versus an agent that just plants a sign and is never heard from. As well, keep in mind that the “market” will dictate the selling price of your home. If the agents all do their

34

Central Keystone Living // SPRING 2016

1. Reputation of your agent 2. Is your agent honest and trustworthy?

3. If your agent is a friend/family member?

4. Agent’s knowledge of the neighborhood 5. Is your agent a good listener/having a caring personality?

6. Is your agent timely with responses?

Bottom line- you want someone you will enjoy working with and who will communicate as well as respond to your needs. You want someone who has the skill set to and enthusiastically believes he/ she can sell your home in a timely manner… and will negotiate to your benefit.

Pat Caruso, ABR, CRS, MCSP, GRI 717-652-4700 www.patcaruso.com

Ingredients:

Spring Garden Soup Recipe

By Karen Trynoski Keller Williams of Central PA

Spring is finally here and what better way to celebrate than to prepare a spring inspired soup! This dish highlights some locally grown seasonal ingredients. This simple, flavorful and hearty soup is guaranteed to take any left over chill out of the air.

¼ c. butter 1 lb. chopped leeks 1/3 c. long grain rice-uncooked 1 med. yellow onion-chopped 3 t. salt 2 qts. water

1 lb. chpped asparagus 2 lg. carrots chopped 1 c. heavy cream 3 potatoes-med. cubes ½ lb. spinach

Directions:

1. Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in leeks and onions and cook until tender.

2. Pour water into the pot. Mix in potatoes, carrots, asparagus and rice. Season with salt. Bring to a slow boil and then reduce heat; let it simmer for 30 minutes or until veggies and rice are tender.

3. Stir in spinach and heavy cream into the soup mixture and continue to cook for about 5 minutes. Serve and enjoy!

Karen Trynoski 717-364-3895 | www.ktrynoski.kwrealty.com

Why you should do business with a respected member of the HBA of Metropolitan Harrisburg: 

CODE OF ETHICS Our members set the standards of honesty, integrity, and fair dealings with customers, clients, employees, business associates and association members.



COMMUNITY We give back to the communities we serve and work hard in support of affordable housing and the American Dream.



KNOWLEDGE Members demonstrate their desire to be known as professionals, working to improve workmanship, quality, and the standards of our industry.

We will be glad to supply you with the names and contact information for members in good standing of our organization and supply you with a list of the questions you should be asking.

Go to www.HarrisburgBuilders.com or call 717-232-5595.

HarrisburgBuilders.com

35

s p e TO MAKING THE t S Ten

BUILDING PROCESS EASIER

By Allison Ong Shreffler Architect, ASID

1. Dream Big, and keep it real

4. How much does it cost?

Are you an HGTV addict? Do you sit at the edge of your seat just waiting for the moment of that big reveal? My job as an architect is to help manage my client’s expectations. While a one hour “Extreme Home Makeover” show portrays that the a home is completely constructed in one week’s time (including flying the family to Disney World)--the reality is that many months prior to filming, the architects, designers, and construction teams have already met and generated construction drawings, obtained permits, compiled a stockpile of construction materials and products, and prepared a tight schedule of multiple trades to ensure the“move that bus”segment happens precisely at 9:45 pm every Sunday evening. For the rest of us, the design and build process can be a 4-12+ month process, depending upon the scope of work. Your first step is to hire therightdesignprofessional/architectwhocanhelprealizeyour dream.

Ah, the $64,000 dollar question that everyone wants to know-howmuch?Unfortunately,remodelingcostsarenotdetermined by a simple “cost per square foot” calculation. If structural bearing walls are removed, then new beams and supports will need to be installed requiring skilled labor. Patching and repairingblendingoldtonewalsorequiresskilledprofessionals.

Experienced contractors will best be able to estimate the time and materials required to accomplish such tasks. Preliminary design drawings can be sent to contractors to obtain ballpark estimates.Thisgiveshomeownersaguidelinetodeterminethat they are within their budget, or if they need to make cuts. It is also wise to include a 20% contingency for any unforeseen conditions or surprises.

2. Your Wish is my command Your first step will be to compile a wish list. Assess your needs.

Do you have a growing family, aging parents, or boomerang children? Do you have an undersized kitchen or bath? Does that four season room addition only get used for two and serves as a catchall room during the winter months? Would a front porch or dormers give your home more curb appeal? Your architect will help you to determine the best direction toward meeting these goals.

3. Zoning Analysis Before determining where an addition can be built, an architect or engineer can evaluate the property with regard to the local zoning codes, which include minimum required setbacks, maximum building coverage, maximum impervious coverage, maximum building heights, and in some municipalities, provide a storm water management plan. Most municipalities require a zoning application to ensure your project will meet the minimum requirements, and a site plan with calculations is typically required.

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Another option is to utilize a cost calculator, such as the one offered at http://building-cost.net/.

A series of prompts with regard to your project from the number of corners, the square footage, the desired quality on a scale of 1 through 6, and whether you have other features including attic space, balconies, a finished basement, garage, porch, proposed source of energy for heating and cooling, followed by your state and zip code, and an estimate will be generated. The cost breakdown will include separate costs for material, labor, equipment, insurance, permits, and contractor markup. This report will help consumers determine “ball park” costs, but actual costs and markups will vary.

5. Show me the money Once you have a construction cost estimate, you will be able to consult with a mortgage lender or banker for a home equity line of credit or construction loan. Appraisers will utilize comps to determine the existing home’s value versus the completed value. They will contrast criteria from recently sold properties in a neighborhood, such as a sale price, age of house, size, and square footage.

Spring Arrival Sale March 18th-26th 6. Pin It! Once your construction process begins, your contractor will need you to make multiple decisions on things like siding materials and colors, roof profiles and colors, door hardware designs and finishes, kitchen and bathroom fixtures, lighting, flooring, and wall finishes. Before going to showrooms, it will be helpful to utilize apps like “Houzz.com” or “Pinterest” to help you determine your likes and style. Even the most seasoned professionals can get overwhelmed with the plethora of choices—by creating Pinterest Boards or Ideabooks on Houzz, it will be easier for you to stay focused and on task.

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7. Contractor selection How do I find a good builder? You can start by attending the PA Home Show from March 10th – 13th. You can find out more information by visiting www.pahomeshow.com. Bring your wish list, photographs and drawings. Look at their samples of work and talk to the exhibitors. Having good communications with your builder will give you comfort during a sometimes disruptive and stressful process.

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8. Schedule Ideally, if you have done your homework, have your financing in place, selected your contractor, and are not requiring difficult deadlines, your contractor may be willing to work with you to select the ideal time to begin your project. Once you have agreed upon a start date, your builder should provide you with a construction schedule. It is will be your responsibility to review the schedule and be prepared to make provisions as needed to not delay the work.

9. Be flexible If you intend to occupy part of the building during construction, this may affect the overall cost and time of completion because your builder will need to make sure you have electricity and running water at all times, as well as phase the work around your living areas. If your remodel includes a kitchen or bath, you may need to make temporary arrangements for cooking, bathing, and storage.

10. Accentuate the positive!

PA 5998

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While remodeling can be stressful, redirect your attention on the big picture and your new dream home. Take photographs to document and enjoy the journey!

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MEET THE EXPERT: Allison Ong Shreffler, Architect, ASID, runs her own architecture and interior design practice here in Central PA. Contact her at 717-884-9808 or visit www.HarrisburgArchitects.net.

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